The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) will increase restrictions on industrial activity in the forests of northwestern Oregon July 30 in response to rising wildfire danger forecast to begin later this week. The Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) for the NW-1 Zone will go to Level 2, and Zones NW-2 and NW-3 will rise to Level 3 on that date.

A single family home on Franklin Ave was damaged by a fire Tuesday morning that Astoria chief Ted Ames told KAST News was caused by a buring cigarette that found it's way into a piece of furniture on the first floor of the house. The single occupant of the home identified as 73 year old Carol Steward was not injured but one firefighter suffered a pulled muscle and was taken to the hospital.

Ames told KAST that estimates of damage are very preliminary and a full investigation has not been completed but early on he said while the actual fire damage was contained to the first floor of the house located at 1583 Franklin, there is likley smoke damage throughout the structure. He said his rough estimate of the home value would be between $200,000 to $225,000 saying the damage would come in at about $40,000.

Astoria has seen some very heavy traffic days this summer. As the popularity of the town as a tourist stop has increased, a parade of RV's from all over the country line up along the narrow two lane highways that lead into and through town. The situation is made worse when warmer weather in the valley drives Portlanders to seek relief by taking a long weekend creating traffic back-ups from Friday afternoon until sometimes late Sunday night. Walking across the street becomes a challenge.

Construction of the City of Astoria 16th Street CSO Separation Project is underway and on schedule. Beginning the week of July 20th, work will begin on 15th St between Jerome and Coxcomb with limited access to vehicles in this area for the first week.

Today, Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley announced the Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act of 2015, a major piece of legislation to stop offshore Arctic drilling. The legislation would prevent any new or renewed leases for the exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or any other mineral in the Arctic planning area.

For the second year, Oregon's timber harvest has remained above four billion board feet. While private lands have remained steady, the real story is on our state's federal lands. Overall, Oregon had a 1.74 percent decrease in timber harvest for a 2014 total of 4.13 billion board feet.

Oregon State University researchers have patented a new strain of a succulent red marine algae called dulse that grows extraordinarily quickly, is packed full of protein and has an unusual trait when it is cooked.

A group of eight United States senators today sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) requesting information about the agencies’ efforts to facilitate and coordinate scientific research on medical marijuana. The letter was signed by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

A Coast Guard aircrew medevaced a fisherman reportedly going in and out of consciences from a vessel 48 miles west of Willapa Bay, Washington, Friday.

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Astoria, hoisted a 30-year-old man and transferred him in stable condition to local EMS personnel waiting at Coast Guard Station Grays Harbor in Westport, Washington.